Forgotten Houston for Kids: AstroWorld, the One That Got Away

When I was compiling the Houston Bucket List in July and August, I found myself returning to places in my mind that no longer existed. Because so many of these were memories from my childhood it's no surprise that most of them were specifically for kids. It got me thinking we should remember these places of our youth and pay tribute to them in some way. This series will focus on forgotten Houston landmarks made especially for kids.

First up is the mother of all losses for kids of all ages, AstroWorld.

Name: AstroWorldDescription:Classic Amusement ParkLocation: South Loop at Main StreetFeatures: Texas Cyclone, Southern Star Amphitheater, Water World

Not long ago, I put together a bunch of old AstroWorld commercials in a blog post and it got a great response demonstrating just how popular that place still is. A friend of mine has a ton of AstroWorld memorabilia, some of which he bought at an auction Six Flags held after the park closed. Virtually everything he has, I remember...vividly.

When you live in a city with an amusement park, it's hard to imagine life without it, particularly when that park is as cool as AstroWorld was. From the Texas Cyclone to Thunder River; from Fright Night to the Souther Star Amphitheater; from Water World to the tram car speaker that were impossible to understand when riding from the parking lot to the main entrance, everything about it was a fantasy for a kid.

my friends and i were just talking about astroworld driving to the depeche mode concert. how when we were kids, we'd all get season passes and spend our summer days at the amusement park and our summer nights at southern star amplitheater which had free general admission for season pass holders.

The reason Astroworld ended up for sale can be contributed to two Groups. The Livestock Show and Rodeo Group and the Texans, because they forced the county to cancel the parking arrangement with Astroworld. The park could never really interfere with them. TGhat the reason I'll never go to a Texans Game or Any Houston Rodeo events. oLok out Astrodome your next on their list.

I can close my eyes and walk my way through that park. I miss that place all the time. The cyclone, the XLR8, the vipor, the log ride...man I literally grew up there. We would get season passes (for $16!!) and our parents would drop us off and we would spend a day there every week! We always stopped and got those small loafs from the Mrs Bairds shop to eat on the way home.